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N. FROMM AND A. J. THWAITES.

ATTACHMENT FOR HAT STAMPING MACHINES.

APPLHIATTON FILED SEPT. 28.1918.

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N. FROMM AND A. J. THWAITES. ATTACHMENT'FOR H-AT STAMPING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 28.1918- 1,311,062.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPII 60., WASHINGTON. D. C.

N. FROMM AND A. J. THWAHES. I ATTACHMENT FOR HATISTAMPING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. NHL

Patented July 22, 1%).

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NATHAN FROMM, OF NEW YORK, AND ALFRED JOSEPH THWAITES, OF HUNTINGTON,

NEW YORK.

ATTACHMENT FOR HAT-STAMPING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

7 Application filed. September 28, 1918. Serial No. 256,071.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NATHAN FRoMM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, and ALFRED J. THWAITES, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Huntington, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Attachment for Hat stamping Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.-

This invention relates to hat pressing or stamping machines, and has for an object the provision of an improved construction wherein one operator may hold the cloth, fabric or other material in place while the crown or brim is being stamped or pressed into shape. l

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved attachment ar ranged with gripping members for gripping one edge of a piece of cloth or other material for holding the same in place while the operatorsmooths and stretches the cloth preparatory to the pressing action.

A still further object of the invention is the arrangement of an improved construction which operates as a stationary structure or as avertically movable structure so as to hold in place cloth or other material for being pressed into brims or for holding in place material being pressed into crowns.

In the accompanying drawings: t

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a hat stamping machine with an embodiment of the invention applied thereto. V

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with the attachment shown par tially in section for better illustratingthe' construction, certain parts of the machine being broken away.

i Fig. 3 is a top plan view of theattachment shown in Fig. 1, the same being shown as gripping a piece of cloth. i

Fig. t is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of gripping member to that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but disclosing a slightly modified form of the invention in which the gripping attachment is stationary. I p

Referring to the accompanying drawings b numerals 1 indicates a suitable frame rovidad with a die 2 coasting with amo d 3 supported by a cross bar 4. All of these parts are old and well known and are now in common use in hat stamping machines. It 1s customary, as heretofore practised, to have an operator on each side of the die 2 to stretch a piece of cloth or other material across the die 2 and then operate the machine for causing the mold 3 to move downwardly over the die 2 and press the cloth in proper shape, after which the ,parts are released and the mold and associate parts are moved upwardly automatically under the action of springs. This operation, however, is old and forms no part of the present invention. The particular cloth 5 is also old produced, but instead of two operators as heretofore one operator is used and an at tachment 6 provided to take the place of the second operator as shown in Fig. 1.

The attachment 6 is provided with a pair of springs 7 and 8, each of said springs having a guiding rod 9 extending therethrough, said guiding rod being connected to a bar 10 adjustably supported on the frame 1 by suitable clamping bolts 11, said bolts passing through a slot in bar -10. The springs 7 and 8 press against the lower face of what may be termed a base 12, said base being preferably made in two parts so as to be more readily manufactured, though if desired they could be made in one piece. In

forming the base 12 a slot 13 isprovided at the top extending for almost the full length of the base and suitable-openings forthe rods 9 whereby said rods may freely move in the base, or rather the base may freely move over the rods. A pair of brackets 14: and 15 are provided for base 12, said brackets being arranged near each end as shown in Fig. 1. These brackets are identical so that the description of one will apply to both. The bracket 14L is provided with slots 16 for accommodating the clamping bolt 17 which extends through base 12 and is adapted to clamp the bracket in position. The upper partofthe bracket is provided with a connecting plate 18 having a shelf 19 and a depending lug 20 projecting through the slot 13. The connecting plate 18 is also provided with upstanding ears 21, said ears straddling the clamping plate 23 and also the clamping bar 24. The clamping plate 23 is provided with an end 25 whereby the end and the plate presents a T-shaped structure, the upper part having an aperture 26 for accommodating the adjusting screw 27 said adjusting screw being rigidly secured in any desired manner to one of the depend ing lugs of bracket 14. The screw 27 has a nut on each side of the end 25 so as to positively lock the plate 23 in any adjusted position. This plate is provided with a slot 28 through which the pin 29 extends, said pin being rigidly secured to the plate 18 forming part of the bracket 14. A spring 30 surrounds pin 29 while a second spring 31 is arranged adjacent the end of slot 28 so that when the gripping member 24 is released said springs will move the same upwardly as indicated in Fig. 5, the slot 26 and associate parts acting as a hinge. The slot 26 is appreciably larger than the bar 24 so as to allow this movement and a pin 32 is provided for preventing independent longitudinal movement of bar 24 in one direction while the shoulders 33 prevent movement in the opposite direction. Bar 24 is also provided with a-slot 34 which is opposite slot 28 so that the bar 24 may be moved back and forth with the plate 23 and the springs 30 and 31 and pin 29 allowed to perform their usual function, the function of the springs being to raise the bar 24 and the function of the pin being to guide the bar 24 and also to hold spring 30 in place. Near the front of the clamping plate 23 is arranged a pair of ears 35 which are preterably integral therewith, cars 35 being provided with a pin 36 passing through an L shaped lever 37, said lever being arranged so that the section 38 will act as ahandle while the end 39 will act as a lock or clamping structure for forcing the clamping bar 24 downwardly against the clamping plate 23. A pin 40 is arranged in bar 24 for limiting the movement of end 39 so that said end will be prevented n' ovement other than a substantially dead center movement, while the end 38 is always in condition for engagement by the hand. The pin 40 is also suflieiently long or either projects a sufficient distance beyond the bar 24 to prevent the end 38 from moving too far away from the operators hand, as for instance the position shown in Fig. 5. The clamping plate 23 has a clamping jaw 41 arranged at the outer or front end while bar 24 has a rigid or coacting clamping jaw 42, jaw 41 having a groove 43 while jaw 42 has a substantially V-shaped bead said groove and bead causinga firm pinching action of the material 5 as shown in Fig. 2 when the jaws are closed. By the use of the bolt 17, slot 13 and associate parts the brackets 14 and 15 may be adjusted longitudinally of base 12, as for instance to the positions shown 1 and 3 so as to grasp the material 5 at some distance from the outer edge of the die 2 or mold 3.

In operation when it is desired to stamp or press the material 5 into the shape of the crown the clamping lever 35 is released or moved to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the material 5 adjusted to the position shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive after which the lever 37 is moved to a closed or locked position which will cause the jaws 41 and 42 to firmly grip the material 5. The moving parts of the stamping machine are then operated in the usual manner, the same forming no part of the invention, said movement causing the mold 3 to move downwardly. As the mold 3 moves downwardly it will force the rod 45 downwardly and consequently the pressure bar 46. As these bars move downwardly the pressure pins 47 and 48 move downwardly and strike against the base 12. The continued downward movement of the pins 47 and 48 will cause the base 12 and associate parts to move downwardly against the action of springs 7 and 8 so that the jaws 41 and 42 will be on line with or below the lower edge of the die 2 when the mold 3 presses against the material 5 on the die. The downward movement of the jaws is so slight after the mold 3 is in engagement with the cloth as not to be of any consequence, so that the material on the die is substantially stationary though taut and in proper condition for being pressed and heated in the usual way. By this means the jaws 41 and 42 and associate parts take the place of a second operator and thereby allow one operator to hold the material 5 in place for pressing. It is important that the material 5 be held properly in place and also properly stretched so that there will be no wrinkles therein when the mold 3 engages the same as the wrinkles would be pressed into the crown and thereby spoil the same. If desired the operator could release the aws 41 and 42 as soon as the mold 3 engages the material 5 so that when the mold 3 is. released and moves upwardly the molded crown will remain in place on the die 2 and may be removed'manually in the usual manner.

In Fig. 5 the attachment 6 is provided to the extent of being fixed or stationary instead of mounted on springs 7 and 8 and movable by rods 47 and 48. The parts are made stationary because the gripping jaws 41 and 42 grip the cloth used in making a brim which is held stationary while the mold 3 presses against the die 2. In this form of the invention the base 12 is provided with a slot 49 at each end for receiving the stationary uprights 50, said stationary uprights being provided with slots 51 through which the bolts 52 and 53 pass. The lower part of each end of the base 12 is provided with ears 54 for accommodating the bolt 52, while the bolt 53 not only passes through the base 12 and upright 50 but through the legs of the bracket 14 similar to the way bolt 17 passes through the member shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The slot 51 permits of an up and down adjustment of the frame 12 as may be desired while the bolt 53 passes through slots 16 so as to permit an independent up and down adjustment of the bracket 14. The bracket 14 and the base 12 are so adjusted that when jaws 41 and 42 are closed the cloth gripped thereby will be held in line with the bottom edge of the molding face of die 2 or adjacent such position so that the cloth will be held stationary while the same is pressed by mold 3.

In operation the cloth is placed in the jaws 41 and 42 of the structure shown in Fig. 5 and said jaws closed and locked and then the cloth or other material is spread evenly over the die 2 and held in position by a single operator after which the operator causes the mold 3 to move downwardly and press the material on the die 2. In this way the jaws 41 and 42 act as a second operator for holding the opposite side of the cloth in place while being pressed. It is, of course, understood that there are provided two jaws in the structure shown in Fig. 5 as well as that shown in Fig. 1.

Jaws 41 and 42 are usually arranged with a diagonal front edge as shown in Fig. 3 so as to avoid the die which is usually round, but if desired the jaws could be made as shown in Fig. 4. It will be observed that the front edge 55 is at right angles to the bar 24 and presents a fairly long gripping surface.

The machines of the character used in connection with the attachment 6 are provided with dies 2 or 2' of any desired shape and corresponding molds 3 or 3. When pressing brims or crowns where velvet, plush or other similar material is used with buckram as a filler the mold 3 does not contact or press against the cloth except at the lower edge and in what may be termed a groove 56. The material 5 must be held tight and without wrinkle when the lower edge of the mold 3 engages the material in the groove 56 so that the mold will give an additional pull so as to hold the material taut. The mold. 3 is heated by any desired means, and if desired the die 2 could be heated so as to dry the adhesive or paste in the buckram, such drying action taking place before the mold 3 is removed. When the mold 3 has been forced downwardly by the operator said mold is locked in. a lowered position and the jaws 41 and -12 are released. The entire machine is then let stand idle or rather with a formed hat therein, or part of a hat as the case may be. The operator passes on to the next machine and forms another crown, brim or hat in the same manner and leaves the mold 3 locked while he goes to a third machine, and so on until the hat in the first machine has dried. When this has occurred he unlocks the mold and allows the same to rise after which he removes the formed hat and the stamping operation is complete. In finishing the man 11- facture of the hat the part engaged by the mold 3 is cut off. In operating each of the machines the jaws 41 and 42 and associate parts are first operated and then moved downwardly to their lowered position and maintained in said lowered position until the die is released, though usually the jaws are opened as shown in Fig. 5 as soon as the mold is locked.

. What we claim is:

1. In a hat stamping machine provided with a die andmold of means for holding one edge of the cloth so that the cloth will be engaging the operating face of said die, means comprising a plurality of clamping plates, a clamping bar for each clamping plate, each bar and each plate having jaw, said clamping bars being hingedly mounted on said clamping plates, springs for normally holding said jaws open, a manually operated locking lever for closing said jaws, and means for supporting said clamping members in substantially the same plane as said die. I 2. .In a hat stamping machine the combination with a machine provided with a die and mold of an attachment for holding one edge of a piece of cloth so that the cloth will rest on the die, said attachment comprising clamping jaws, means for locking said clam-ping jaws closed, a supporting bracket for each of said clamping jaws, means for adjusting said clamping jaws toward and from said die along the tops of said brackets, a base extending into said brackets, means for adj u'stalbly connecting said brackets to said base, said adjustments being vertical, and means for adjustably supporting said base.

3. In a hat stamping machine of the character described the combination with a die and mold of an attachment for holding a piece of cloth on said die, said attachment comprising a pair of gripping jaws, a bracket supporting each of said gripping jaws, a base supporting said brackets, means for adjustably mounting said brackets on said base, a plurality of springs for resiliently holding said base and the parts carried thereby in an elevated position so that the jaws will be opposite the upper part of the die, means for forcing said jaws rimm- Wardly over the lower part of said die immediately previous to the engagement of said mold by said die, and means for releasing said aws.

4.111 a hat stamping machine of the character described the combination with a die and mold of an attachment for holding and spreading a piece of material over said die, said attachment comprising a plurality of jaws, a clamping plate and a clamping bar for each pair of jaws, said clamping bar being pivotally mounted on the clamping plate, a spring for each of said clampingbars for giving the same a tendency to move to an open position, a substantially L-shaped lookinglever acting on each of said bars for closing said jaws, a stop for limiting the movement of said locking lever, means for resiliently supporting said jaws, and means connected with said'mold for moving said jaws downwardly immediately previous to the downward movement of the mold so that the cloth will be spread over the die before the mold contacts therewith.

5. In a stamping machine of the character described the combination with a die and mold of a plurality of clamping jaws for clamping a piece of material arranged on said die, resilient means for supporting said jaws normally at the upper level of said die, a power rod connected with said mold so as to move downwardly therewith, and an adjustable power pin mounted on said power rod, said pin being adapted to move said jaws downwardly against the action of said resilientmeans so that the jaws will be moved downwardly before the mold engages the die.

NATHAN FROMM. ALFRED JOSEPH TI-IWAITES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

